February 24, 2010

Freedom Only to the Degree of Self Mastery

Ever wonder why many people appear so happy to be enslaved, to one degree or another?

Ever wonder why some folks seem to search out mundane jobs and then enjoy complaining about what a dead end they are?

Author Steven Pressfield, the creative genius behind the book (and later movie) entitled, The Legend of Baggar Vance, as well as the beautifully written historical fiction book entitled The Gates of Fire (about the famed battle of Thermopylae), among others, offers one of the keenest insights into human nature I've ever encountered. Here, in just a short paragraph, Pressfield seems to have pointed his eloquence toward the source of the lack of truly creative, free expression in human society:

"It may be that the human race is not ready for freedom. The air of liberty may be too rarified for us to breathe. Certainly I wouldn't be writing this book, on this subject, if living with freedom were easy. The paradox seems to be, as Socrates demonstrated long ago, that the truly free individual is free only to the extent of his own self-mastery. While those who will not govern themselves are condemned to find masters to govern over them." *

Umm hmm. Poignant stuff.

I suggest we all read that again.

And again.

* The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles, Steven Pressfield

Comments

Ever wonder why many people appear so happy to be enslaved, to one degree or another?

Ever wonder why some folks seem to search out mundane jobs and then enjoy complaining about what a dead end they are?

Author Steven Pressfield, the creative genius behind the book (and later movie) entitled, The Legend of Baggar Vance, as well as the beautifully written historical fiction book entitled The Gates of Fire (about the famed battle of Thermopylae), among others, offers one of the keenest insights into human nature I've ever encountered. Here, in just a short paragraph, Pressfield seems to have pointed his eloquence toward the source of the lack of truly creative, free expression in human society:

"It may be that the human race is not ready for freedom. The air of liberty may be too rarified for us to breathe. Certainly I wouldn't be writing this book, on this subject, if living with freedom were easy. The paradox seems to be, as Socrates demonstrated long ago, that the truly free individual is free only to the extent of his own self-mastery. While those who will not govern themselves are condemned to find masters to govern over them." *

Umm hmm. Poignant stuff.

I suggest we all read that again.

And again.

* The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles, Steven Pressfield